I appear to have burned up the starter my FIL presumably rebuilt when I installed into the engine. Why?

Facts:
93 y.o. FIL owned the truck since 1958. He disassembled front clip, and cab of truck (on frame) in the 90's. He is an engineer, perfectionist, and has a machine shop added to his house, and has successfully rebuilt old engines before. Stopped due to health issues around 2012.
-This is a rebuilt 6cyl H block 226 engine, 3 speed tranny, and starter.
-The starter is a 6V, original style, with 10-tooth pinion gear.
-I rotated the engine by hand to mark and count the number of ring gear teeth through the starter hole=112

Activity;
An older friend who has rebuilt dozens of Ford and Chevy engines, owns 40 cars (1965+), 7 boats, and 12 tractors (1952+), was helping me work on this engine. He has at least two running Ford 8N tractors (which I have used on his farm) and works on all his vehicles himself.
-The engine and tranny are secured on their mounts but otherwise NO wiring is hooked up to the engine, SPARK PLUGS OUT. Oil in engine and filter, gear oil in tranny. Engine kinda stiff but rotates by hand with socket on crankshaft nut and 1/2 inch socket handle. Easier with length of torque wrench handle.
-We tested the starter on the floor with a 12V battery, ran fine.
-Friend said it doesn't matter the polarity, it only runs in one direction. I, being clueless and skeptical, switched polarity and confirmed.
-Friend said he has run his flathead tractor starters on 12V for years without incident (changed to alternators, still using original 6V coil and distributors.)
-We installed the starter in the truck, the extra bracket on the front of the starter did not match up to any bolt on the oil pan (?).
-We used the same charged 12V battery and attached it directly to the starter via heavy duty jumper cables.
-The positive was on the the terminal, negative on a bolt at the bell housing near the starter or vice versa.
-Heard it click but not whirr.
-Checked ground, tried again. Click but no whirr, started to smoke on third try.
-Checked torque on torque wrench, engine rotates at or below 65 lbs.-ft.
-Starter has melted paint on main body of it and does not respond to voltage attached.

Three questions 1) was I supposed to rotate the pinion gear toward the back of the vehicle before installing (don't think I did).
2) is 60 lbs.-ft. too stiff for the starter to manage? My friend said it has to be below 80 lbs.-ft.

Lost in 1948,
Steve

 

Sounds like something created a dead short. Possible if the bendix was jammed in front of the ring gear on the flywheel and it couldn't move.
Take it apart and you'll probably find what that was. It will be the most intense point of heat.
Pinion gear? If you mean the bendix gear, yes it should be behind the flywheel - it pulls into the ring gear from behind.
I'd agree with your old friend on all points.
fwiw, Ford tractor starters are shorter than car/truck starters - if the one I have is any indication.

If you can, post a picture of what you find when you disassemble it.

 

Thanks mtflat.
Steve

 

I would be interested in how the bendix looks/operates, and were the bolts tight.
Also, if your ring gear is perfect (or close).

 

Electric maniac, thanks for your questions. The Bendix doesn't operate at all now. It was in restored condition when I pulled it off the shelf. I believe the bolts were tight, It didn't jump or wiggle around during my attempts to run it but It could have failed due to incomplete contact. This is a clean rebuilt engine. I am hoping my FIL has another starter. I'm going there this week.

I suspect my perfectionist FIL would not have even attempted to put on a flywheel that was the least bit questionable. Through the starter opening everything looked copacetic but I wasn't looking at the face of it.

We'll see what I can accomplish in the next couple of weeks.

Steve

 

I would bench test the starter if not done already. My flathead had mouse nests up inside the hogshead/bell which rusted the inside. Relative humidity, despite being indoors can rust enough internally if no oil is inside. Just random thoughts.


Mine sat rebuilt but not finished under a roof for 20+ years as well. I was able to turn it by hand from the crank bolt and a breaker bar after a liberal supply of Marvels Mystery Oil down the sparkplug holes.

 

Well folks, no extra starter. I will either pull it apart under supervision of an electronics friend or take it to a local shop.
Steve